Guidice
Guidice Forena is a fictional character in the Scars of Time world. He plays minor cameo roles in Scars of Time and Gateway to Destiny, although his main significance comes from his role in Road to Sanctuary. He is most famously known as being the father to Ranna Forena. Character History Guidice was born into a middle-class Garuuzian family in the capital city. His childhood was a simple one; he attended school and received reasonable grades, although his heart was never in academics. With the growing conflict between Garuuz and Alvasta, Guidice signed up to the army at age 16. He received training and fought his first battle at age 19, where he held back an Alvastan skirmish at Port Anchorage. The battle was successful and the invading Alvastan forces were repelled. Guidice was noted as being a powerful warrior in this battle, although it wasn't until another skirmish three months later that his bravery was revealed. His commander was injured in the battle, and Guidice ran through enemy lines to save him. Both returned alive, and the commander, now seeing Guidice's true qualities, promoted him to rank of Captain. On Guidice's 20th birthday he was made commander when the previous man, whom he had saved, retired. Guidice spent the next two years as commander, before being promoted to General by Emperor Sparda himself, who Guidice became close to during his stationing at the Capital. Sparda trusted Guidice and made him his right-hand man, the youngest man in Garuuzian office ever to achieve the rank of General. During this time, Guidice was allowed to over-see a variety of economic issues within Garuuz, including incorporating several agricultural plans and most famously, driving the bandits of the middle-lands of Garuuz into the Emeris Forests. Role in Road to Sanctuary It was not until the events of Road to Sanctuary that Guidice began to falter in his career and put his own life at risk. To improve relations between Alvasta and Garuuz, a wedding was planned between Emperor Sparda and a young woman of the Alvastan aristocracy, Kihara. Kihara was kept in a tower in the capital before the wedding, as it was empirical tradition for men to rarely see their future wives until married. Kihara spent the nights with Sparda when he wished for her to be with him, but spent most of the days in her tower, guarded by soldiers. Guidice, as Sparda's trusted General, was instructed to keep the girl's spirits up. He brought her food for the first few weeks, speaking little with her, however one day he found her crying and against his best judgement talked with her. Kihara talked with Guidice at length about wishing to return home and not loving Emperor Sparda, and Guidice sympathised and comforted her. Over the next month, whilst preparations for the marriage were being made, Guidice and Kihara fell in love. During this month in the tower, Guidice visited Kihara whenever he could. One night, when Sparda was away from the palace, Guidice and Kihara consumated their love, and it was this night that Kihara fell pregnant with Ranna Forena. The two of them, realising that Kihara would never be happy with Sparda, formulated a plan to escape the night before the wedding. Guidice, although reluctant to sacrifice his friendship with Sparda and his rank in the army, decided that a life without Kihara would be unbearable. The night before the wedding, Guidice entered Kihara's room, incapacitated the guards who were on duty and stole Kihara away. They escaped on horseback and rode out into the night. The next morning, Sparda was informed that Guidice had kidnapped Kihara, and the hurt Emperor ordered for her immediate recovery. The Dragon Knights under the command of Captain Shiroda, were sent out. Shiroda, jealous of Guidice's rank of General, made it his goal to kill Guidice, although Sparda had asked for Guidice to be brought back alive to face charges. Guidice and Kihara escaped to the Emeris Forests just in time, and the Dragon Knights were forced to leave them, unable to take their mighty steeds into the woods. They assumed that the bandit-infested forest would kill Guidice and Kihara. Although the both of them encountered the bandits, they somehow managed to escape, fleeing northwards to Alderidge Village. They spent the night there at the Koreon Inn, and took transport on a merchant cart owned by a Mr. Weaver to Port Alderidge, in the hope that they could escape the country. Their quest took them to various locations, including the PTC before they were able to reach the white shores of Alvasta and start their new life together.